Sunday Screams: They’re Here… and So Am I – A Poltergeist Reflection

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Monologue

They say death is the great unknown. But what of what lingers after?

Spirits, echoes of emotion, unfinished business — whatever you call them, they’ve fascinated humanity for millennia. A flicker of light in a darkened hallway. A whisper with no mouth. A shadow with no source. Ghosts are the night’s poetry — tragic, beautiful, terrifying. And in the quiet hours, when the moon casts silver across your walls and your breath feels just a little too loud... it’s hard not to wonder: What if I’m not alone?

I’ve always loved the night. The way the moon kisses rooftops. The stillness. The strange comfort in knowing the world has quieted. But recently... that comfort is cracking.

Journal Entry Present Day Storyteller

Today started oddly. One of my LED candles — the kind you need a remote for — turned on by itself. No buttons pressed. No pets near it. It flickered as if trying to get my attention.

That’s not all.

A glass that was in the kitchen ended up in the hallway — on its side. No broken pieces. No mess. Just… moved. As if someone (or something) had gently carried it there.

Later, I found one of my dining room chairs tipped over. No wind. No quakes. No explanations.

My logical brain — or what’s left of it — tried to blame the weakening of my body. Fatigue. Illness. Maybe I knocked it over and forgot. Maybe I’m misplacing things. But deep down, I know better.

Something's changing. I’m changing.

Sunday Scream: Poltergeist (1982)

And that brings us to Poltergeist — the movie that taught an entire generation to never trust a static-filled TV.

Directed by Tobe Hooper (with heavy influence from producer Steven Spielberg), Poltergeist is one of the most iconic supernatural films of all time. It’s the suburban ghost story that made us all rethink new housing developments, white noise, and backyard pools.

The film’s slow build is masterful — what starts as flickering lights and objects moving evolves into full-blown chaos: possessions, portals, ghost dimensions, and one very cursed clown doll.

Some unsettling facts (because what would a Nightly Storyteller post be without them?):

Real Skeletons: That muddy pool scene? Yep — they used real human skeletons. Why? Apparently, they were cheaper than plastic ones at the time. The actors didn't know. Heather O’Rourke, who played Carol Anne, was just 6.

The Poltergeist Curse: Several cast members died tragically during or shortly after filming the trilogy. Dominique Dunne (Dana Freeling) was murdered at 22. Heather O'Rourke died at just 12 from an undiagnosed illness. Many fans believe the film was genuinely cursed.

It Was Rated PG: Despite its terrifying sequences, Poltergeist was only rated PG. This led to the creation of the PG-13 rating two years later.

It’s Based on a Real Haunting (Sort Of): While not a direct adaptation, the idea of suburban homes built over sacred land echoes stories from real-life cases like the Herrmann House poltergeist incident in the 1950s.


The Storyteller Reflects

I feel a kinship with Poltergeist. The quiet beginnings, the small signs, the way things slowly unravel until you're questioning everything.

Are the flickering lights just power surges?

Is the glass really where I left it?

Is the chair tipping over a coincidence?

Or is something trying to communicate with me?

As my strength fades and my reflection becomes a stranger, I wonder... if this isn’t just a transformation. Maybe it’s an invitation. Maybe something beyond the veil is pulling me closer — guiding me toward a different existence.

One I may not return from.

Until the next scream,

—The Nightly Storyteller


Stick around. Subscribe. Share.

And if you dare… drop a comment and tell me your favorite Halloween moment—or the scariest mask you’ve ever seen.

We’re just getting started—and things are about to get dark.

thenightlystoryteller.blogspot.com

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